HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Dealing with the diagnosis that your child has cancer is devastating. It’s the reality this year for families of more than 10,000 kids younger than age 15. It’s why workers at a local business teamed up to help those families.
Workers at the Amazon fulfillment center near Hazleton are extra busy processing packages of customer purchases. But in the height of this busy shipping season, these employees took time for a different kind of delivery.
General Manager Alyssa Walters handed over a $25,000 check to Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital earmarked for its child cancer program.
“We hope this donation will support the children who are battling cancer as well as the doctors, nurses, and staff that work diligently to support them through their battle,” Alyssa Walters said.
More than 1,600 Amazon facilities in the U.S. and Canada were encouraged in September to participate in the program, ‘Amazon Goes Gold,’ a childhood cancer awareness month program.
Walters says more than 3,000 workers at this hub wore gold-colored clothing or pajamas to work for a week. Based on the number of employees who participated, this Amazon facility and 20 others received grant money from the e-commerce company to give to any local pediatric oncology program. Walters considered the choice a no-brainer.
“Super drawn in by the mission of Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital and just after learning the work that they’ve done in our community as well, I’m super moved by that,” Walters added.
“To know that this group won an internal contest and chose us to donate their money so we can give it back to children and families, it’s such an honor. We’re really thrilled,” said Anne Baum the President of Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital.
Anne Baum says the funds will support everything from the hospital’s pediatric oncology patient activities and supplies to supporting the education of the medical staff caring for the kids. Call the cash courtesy of these workers a very special delivery.
“This site, in particular, they’re so committed to giving back to this community that they never shy away from a challenge and constantly they step up,” said Sam Fisher, a spokesperson for Amazon.
The reason the campaign is called ‘Amazon Goes Gold’ is because gold is the color associated with childhood cancer.
And the pajamas worn by workers represent what hospitalized pediatric patients wear during their cancer battle.
